Youthful Kontiolahti's strong suit is its natural diversity and landscapes of rocky hills offering superb opportunities for active holidays. In addition, Kontiolahti's location in the heart of North Karelia makes it a perfect base for exploring the region in more depth.
You can engage in a range of different activities in the natural surroundings of Kontiolahti. Perfect your swing on Kontiolahti golf course, with undulating fairways that offer a challenge as well as stunning landscapes. The entire family will enjoy a summer trip to one of the numerous sandy beaches in Kontiolahti. Fans of fishing will enjoy the good fishing waters in the area. There are also several birdwatching hides and towers in the Kontiolahti area, offering you the chance to spot several different species.
If you are a keen cross-country skier and you cannot wait for the snow to arrive, head for Kontiolahti's artificially frozen cross-country skiing track, which opens in mid-October. In the winter, you can also go downhill skiing at the Mustavaara downhill skiing centre, which has slopes to suit skiers of all levels.
In the summer, you could see one of the popular productions at the summer theatre at Kontiolahti's Kanavateatteri. Combine your theatre visit with a trip to the Jakokoski museum canal, where you can find out about the history of the canals in the North Karelia area and see numerous heritage vessels and old machinery.
Kontiolahti's diverse terrain and landscapes of rocky hills offer superb opportunities for long hiking trips. From Kontiolahti you can head out on foot to the stunningly beautiful national landscape of Koli by following the Herajärvi circuit for between 20 and 40 miles or the 40-mile Kolinpolku trail.
No holiday in Kontiolahti would be complete without a visit to the unique Kolvananuuro nature reserve. Kolvananuuro is a long gorge with steep banks. It was formed millions of years ago when the rock bed shifted. A trip to the Kolvananuuro nature trail offers a superb opportunity to discover the unique natural surroundings and vegetation in this steep gorge.
Kontiolahti is located along Finnish National Road 6. The nearest airport is Joensuu Airport, which has international connections via Helsinki Airport. You can also travel by train from Helsinki Airport to Joensuu station and complete your journey to Kontiolahti by car or bus. The journey from Joensuu to the centre of Kontiolahti takes about half an hour. While you are in Kontiolahti, the best way to get around is by car or bicycle.
Leave the day-to-day grind behind and head to the natural surroundings of Kontiolahti in the middle of beautiful North Karelia!
